Plagued by worry, stress, anxiety, and over thinking? In TCM, the stomach/spleen yin/yang duo aren’t only digestive fire power & aid in blood flow, but assoc. w. those not-so-fun emotions. This can indicate an imbalance in the stomach/spleen that look like gastrointestinal issues, which are usually the result of inflammation, which is a byproduct of worry, stress & anxiety. Sensing a theme? Read my posts on inflammation, food/mood, & raw food? You’ve also probably never thought about your spleen, welcome to my feed!
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Sweets cravings are also an indication of imbalance. This dynamic duo like it sweet. The craving is the body’s way of getting your attention to let you know something’s off. It’s asking for help.
Think smoothies & salads are a front row seat to health, yet you feel bloated, tired & have brain fog? The spleen pulls nutrients from food & distributes to the body. When food is intro’d into the body as warm, it’s easy to digest & the spleen can do its thing. When raw/cold food is intro’d, this can damage the spleen. It’s rough & needs to be warmed, so the spleen relies on energy from the skin, which leaves you feeling cold and like 💩. Also, what happens when you put cold into hot? Steam, which creates dampness, or inflammation. If you can eat raw food & have 0 issues following, go for it. Everyone is different.
When a TCM practitioner suspects qi deficiency, they look to the spleen. DIY spleen check – Stand in front of a mirror & stick out your tongue. If the sides are at all inflamed or swollen with divots or teeth marks, congrats, you have spleen qi deficiency!
Outside of acupuncture, there are a few things you can do to nourish the spleen. Eat foods like: sesame/pumpkin/sunflower seeds; legumes, kidney & black beans, lightly cooked veggies, millet, rice, figs, coconut, grapes, cherries, dates, potatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, & ginger
Pictured: Roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, sauteed kale, caramelized onions, avocado, sesame seeds & oil. 🙏🏻@kbartiromo for being an amazing sous chef & model.
Who’s into taking care of their spleen/stomach qi? Drop a ♥️🔥in the comments
Shana Robinson 